44 January 24 • 2019
jn
Danny Raskin
Senior Columnist
raskin
the best of everything
Big Difference at Village Palace!
I
t originally opened back in 1974 as
another restaurant that served a purpose
for fast breakfasts and lunches.
Then restauranteur George Lukaj bought
the little eatery about 10 years ago, changed
the name from Village Place to Village
Palace, added more breakfast and lunch
items plus some dinners … and son Robert
took over as operator/manager.
Now has come an addition that has vault-
ed Village Palace on Orchard Lake Road,
near Pontiac Trail, Orchard Lake Village,
into a new category … an executive chef
whose track record is a huge step in the
immediate making of a major dining estab-
lishment.
Executive Chef Victor Malaric has
upgraded the menu to his ways, which
include stops at the very fine
Charlie Trotters in Chicago and
Farmer’
s Table in Boca Raton,
Fla., where he served as executive
chef … Among his huge culinary
assets, Chef Victor also brings a
full array of seafood presentations
that include a lot of shellfish …
Like his excellent crab cakes and,
with one-day notice, bringing
folks a lobster dinner they won’
t
easily forget, etc. … No advance
request is needed for his whitefish
as-is or creatively atop a mound
of risotto, or ruby red trout as-is
or over a potato mound and
surrounded by braised onions
and elegant black mushrooms, a
Florida-styled fish soup so much different
than the traditional, braised beef with pearl
onions, etc.
Each day now include specials, too,
that are served with house-made soup or
salad … as is a super special of the day …
slow-braised pot roast, house-made chili
Colorado, etc.
Village Palace still has the wonderful
omelets, salmon, spaghetti, stir-fry items,
salads, Italian dishes, etc. … plus home-
made meat loaf, spinach pie, etc. … and is
open seven days from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. …
Seating is for 115 with 10 seats at a count-
er, four tables for four each and the rest
leather-covered booths … When weather
permits, there is also seating on its outdoor
patio … Further striking renovations will
also be made this year.
A dessert list of about 25 luscious yum-
mies is unbelievable … with just about
every selection a delicious tummy-patting
eye-popper.
The Village Palace of today will certainly
bring customers back … The addition of an
executive chef with excellent culinary styles
and no high price tags are certainly choice
assets to enjoy.
NEW MANAGING partner with Rick
Therrien, after the amicable departure
of Linda Collins at Pickles & Rye Deli,
Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield,
is Greg Costigan, taking over with their
dissolved partnership … “There is no one
like Linda,
” Rick says. “Linda treated our
customers as though they were guests in her
own home.
”
BOTH WITH THE SAME LAST
NAME … same former football greats at
University Michigan … Steve Hutchinson
finalist for Professional Football Hall of
Fame … and Chris Hutchinson, partner
at Pepino’
s Restaurant, Sylvan Lake … No
relation.
GOOD SERVER DEPT. … Nabill Elali,
50 years, and Philip Capraro, 25 years at
Mario’
s on Second, Detroit … Wai Yee U,
since opening of Shangri-La 25 years ago,
on 15 Mile and Orchard Lake Road … All
still favorite servers of many.
TRIPLE NICKEL on Old Woodward,
Birmingham, former site of Archibald’
s, has
Happy Hours all day on Mondays … Also,
live music on Thursdays, 8-11 p.m.
NO SUCH THING AS one Italian
restaurant being like another … Reason
why so many Italian restaurants are not
the same as others might be because some
are Northern Italian and others Southern
Italian, for example … A majority, though,
could feature both … Recently opened 160
Main in Northville, for example, serves both
but features mostly Southern.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … He is out to
dinner with his wife to celebrate her birth-
day … “So, what would you like, Geraldine?
A sable coat? A Cadillac? A diamond neck-
lace?”
“Morris, I want a divorce,
” she says.
“I wasn’
t planning on spending that
much,
” he says.
CONGRATS … To Suzie Radner on her
birthday … To Ed and Suzie Radner on
their 60th anniversary. ■
Danny’
s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.
New executive
chef brings much
more to the menu.
Robert Lukaj and Executive Chef
Victor Malaric
Daily Special: Soup and Salad or Sandwich and Salad for $8
1/31/19
1/31/19
The Caucus Club
Penobscot Building
150 W. Congress
Detroit, MI 48266
313.965.4970
www.caucusclubdetroit.com
info@caucusclubdetroit.com
Birthday Wishes
to Danny
on his 100th!